At the Pierce estate, the driver refused to let me out until he'd been paid. He went to the gate to find someone who could settle the fare.
A moment later, he returned with the butler. The man took one look at me and stepped back in shock. "Ms. Hartley. You're alive."
I opened the car door. "Pay him first."
The butler hurried to pay him. I walked toward the house, remembering all the times I'd been here. After 6 years, it was still so familiar.
I reached the living room and frowned. "Where's Julian?"
"Mr. Pierce is on his way home," the butler replied respectfully. Then he added, "After you ran off with another man, he never stopped searching. Everyone thought you were dead. He was the only one who wouldn't give up."
As soon as I sat on the sofa, someone brought me a glass of warm mi
